Detection for potentially zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites in long-tailed macaques, dogs and cattle at Kosamphi forest park, Maha Sarakham

Abstract

Gastrointestinal parasite are the most important and common infectious agents of human and animals worldwide especially in tropical areas. Humans can be infected with the parasites as zoonoses by shedding their infective stage and eggs via feces of animal reservoirs resulting in environmental contamination of food and water. In Maha Sarakham, Kosamphi forest park is an interesting area which has close interaction and coexistence between wildlife, domestic animals and humans where it is possible to transmit some zoonotic pathogens including gastrointestinal parasites among them. This study was conducted to investigate the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites present in feces of long-tailed macaques, dogs and cattle shed on the environment in and around Kosamphi forest park. A total of 134 fecal samples collected from 3 animal species were processed to detect helminth eggs using the formalin-ethyl acetate technique. Three species of parasitic helminthes including Strongyloides spp., Trichuris spp. and hookworm’s eggs have been detected and assessed for their prevalence. Strongyloides spp., were the most common zoonotic parasite found in monkeys and cattle (52.24% and 45.71%) followed by hookworms (26.87% and 34.29%) while hookworms were the most common zoonotic parasite in dogs (31.25%) followed by Strongyloides spp. (25%). This study provides baseline information on potentially zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites in animal reservoirs at Kosamphi forest park and emphasizes the importance of both wildlife and domestic animals as reservoir hosts for zoonotic disease. A One Health Approach is necessary for prevention and control.